


Trial for the Arbiter of Dawn

by Megane



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst with a Happy Ending, Basking in Triumph, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Changing Destiny, Claustrophobia, Drowning, Judgment, Light to Mild Spoilers, Male Friendship, Near Death Experiences, Prophecy, Ten Years Later, Time Loop, Trials, Trust is the Name of the Game, Various Depictions of Death, Victories (Small and Large)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: Noctis is being judged by the Astrals. They wish to weigh the worth of his soul and test his strength for what lies ahead. They have many machinations at work, and should Noctis not be strong enough, it will all go to waste. But oh, how they underestimate this Lucis prince. How they fail to understand the lengths he would go to to save the world, himself, and his friends. They have always been his strength, and for once, for all it was worth—He would be theirs.
Kudos: 2





	Trial for the Arbiter of Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this on the burner for... two years now, I think. Perhaps even a year and a half. I've tumbled around the different ways I would do this, and I finally think this something I'm proud of. I wrote this in something of a creative sprint, so forgive me for any errors I haven't cleaned up yet. Not quite my longest thing to date, but definitely my most impressive in a while. Consider this a love letter to them, to you.
> 
> Thank you for your support. Please enjoy.
> 
> ──────────────────────────────────────
> 
> _"In the Midst of Darkness, Claim Your Light...."_

The painful splintering of bone before darkness took over—

—one final, claustrophobic scream—

—the burning defeat of lungs giving out—

—a precise snap that happened too quickly to be felt—

—the yawning maw of a nightmare too encompassing to escape—

Noctis awoke on a hard, marbled floor; he was too stiff to move and confused as to why. He blinked up at the stone ceiling. His face twisted in displeasure as he rolled over onto all fours. He knelt in the sunlight and allowed the warmth to ground him as he gathered his senses. With great effort, Noctis crawled to his feet in front of a dust-caked window. His vision swam as he drew up to his full height; the world around him felt hazy and unreal. It was a feeling he was familiar with, but at the moment, the sensation was disconnected from the rest of his body.

He took a step to the left and looked further down the halls. They were an impressive metallic smoke grey colour. Dark, elegant, comforting. The rich blue carpet that ran down the hall stretched far past what he could see and around the gentle curve. Noctis’ thoughts were slowly piecing together as the feeling came back to him, as reality dawned on him in a cold wash. Ah, right...

He had failed. Again. He was right back at the beginning.

“Dammit,” Noctis hissed. “Dammit!” He cried out this time, taking a step towards the dusty window and slamming a fist against it. The glass didn’t budge; it didn’t break. It felt more like hitting stone, and if it wasn’t for the warm sensation against his skin, Noctis would have thought that the window was fake. It wouldn’t be the only thing in this place, but it sure matched the fuckery of this world. Real but not, inconsequential but so important.

Noctis ducked his head and tried to get his thoughts together. What happened on his last attempt? The only thing he could remember was...

Gladio. Gods be damned. Gladio! Noctis had him; they had each other. They were so close, and somehow, Noctis had run out of time. Noctis grit his teeth and glanced down the hall. He needed to go, but he wanted to remember. He fought with himself, knowing that he would be at a disadvantage either way. He could only remember things if he stood still, but if he pushed forward, he’d lose the opportunity. Noctis moved again to inspect where he woke up. Maybe he could glean something if he— He began to strafe, and his right ankle hurt. No, burned. Noctis tried to lower down onto his knee and instead almost collapsed to the ground. He managed to catch himself and stared in confusion at his legs.

They felt so weak when he tried to do anything more than small movements. He frowned deeply and rattled around in his memory. Prompto’s horrified face as a stone fell, Luna falling, Ignis in the water, darkness, darkness— Noctis scoffed and closed his eyes. The harder he tried to focus on Gladio, the more obfuscated the memory became. His failings usually had no trouble repeating themselves relentlessly in his mind, but for some reason, this was different. Noctis slammed a fist to the floor. Dammit!

Down the hall, something massive crashed to the ground. The impact shook the ground hard enough that Noctis could feel it. That sensation was enough to trigger a multitude of nausea. Wave after wave hit him, leaving him feeling helpless until all he could do was relent his consciousness under the onslaught. When he awoke again, he felt better. Not quite revitalised, but without lifting up or opening his eyes, he rolled his feet. His ankles didn’t hurt. Noctis lowered his feet and took in a breath.

Deep and slow in, shuddering on the way out. His nerves were shaken; his soul felt tired, broken, but he wouldn’t give up now. Couldn’t give up now. Scrunching his brows, he pressed his hands flat over his shoulder, drew his legs up, and then kicked to his feet. He opened his eyes suddenly. His legs didn’t give out. Maybe he stood a chance this time. The memory of his failing was just from a few moments ago, and compared to all the other ones he had to relive, this one was almost peaceful. Maybe he stood a chance this time. With that in mind, Noctis clung onto that and used it as motivation. Immediately, he began sprinting down the hall.

There was no more time to waste.

The hall stretched on and on in front of him, constantly curving gently to the left without an end in sight. And from a previous attempt long, long ago, he knew this for a fact. He grit his teeth and kept an eye on the right wall. There were a number of closed doors here; their window panes were dusty and dark. Some even sported slight cracks for variety. There was one that still had his hand print on it, and though Noctis didn’t want to relive the memory, it flew unbidden to the front of his mind.

He saw himself and his friends in the room. They were all younger, just a few years ago. They looked too serious for what they were now, too unfamiliar with each other and bound by duty. They were sitting in chairs facing a podium, and standing before them was someone in Kingsglaive wear, tall and impressive. Their face was obscured, but it was ultimately unimportant. They removed a blade from their side. The blade grew and grew as they drew their arm back. It was impossibly massive in spite of being hidden so easily front Noctis ’ sight. He glanced over towards his reflection and those of his friends. None of them were moving but were instead staring forward, glass-eyed and unresponsive. Noctis cried out and slammed his hand against the glass. With a twitch, everyone was looking at him.

“Judgement... and dishonour…” the Kingsglaive had said, their voice too divine to belong to a human. And with a lazy flick of their wrist, they struck the group down. Noctis shouted then in fury, and instead of feeling the Power of Kings, he felt nothing.

Except cold.

It was the first time he had failed in this hellscape. Of course, that would be the mark that they kept. Noctis cast a glare up towards the ceiling. He saw nothing but mold rotten tapestries, but he knew (or at least hoped) that the Astrals could see him. Returning his attention to the task at hand, he was soon coming up on his target. He slid across the ruined carpet and grabbed the open door frame before he could pass it.

Before him was a massive conference room. The walls had been a carefully chosen palette of dark blues and cremes and dark plums and had been beautiful once. But as it was, they were scarred, and the wallpaper was peeling in places. The room looked as if it had endured a siege. Noctis stared at the meeting table, which was splintered down the middle. Its chairs were cast against the far wall to Noctis’ left. A couple of the windows had been broken and allowed a wind that Noctis couldn't feel to blow in. But in spite of the hopelessness and ruin steeped deep into this place, there was at least one positive.

Prompto was alive and mostly well. He was opposite Noctis and was kneeling in front of a gaping hole in the wall. His left arm had been chained down, and he was leaning out towards the hole to see over the edge. The chain was tight and only allowed Prompto a couple of feet of space. Even though it was definitely a concern, it wasn’t Noctis’ primary issue. When the sunlight caught it, Noctis could see a very faint thread running from Prompto's right arm up towards the ceiling. It wasn’t as tight as the chain, and it was far thinner. Noctis watched it warily as it blew in the phantom wind. He returned his gaze to Prompto, steeled his nerves, and took a step into the room.

There was a subtle shift of stone. They couldn’t stay here for long.

“Prompto! Stay where you are!”

Prompto jerked his head back and gave a smile of relief seeing his friend. The action repeated itself countless times in Noctis’ mind in only a second. He was temporarily dazed by it, but even still, he pressed on. He held a hand out towards Prompto and gazed warily up at the thread.

“Seriously, just stay still.”

“Alright…” Prompto's expression became worried. Noctis ignored the stab in his chest as he came closer.

With what little power he had, Noctis was able to summon a dagger into his hold. He walked over and stared down at the spot where Prompto’s chain was held in place. There was a fracture in one of the links, but he wouldn't fall for it this time. Instead, he stabbed downward and began working his dagger into the stone underneath. It would take some time, but he knew this was the safest option. He swore quietly under his breath before drawing his dagger back. He plunged it into the floor again to gain better leverage.

“N-Noct?! What's going on!”

“It’s hard to explain,” Noctis replied, wincing from effort. He just needed to kill time; he just needed to get there. “But I’m trying to save you. We’ve been set up, and we’re going to get out of here.”

“Set up? By who?” Prompto twitched to move, and Noctis jutted out a hand to stop him. He looked to the thread and twitched out of the way when it slacked towards him.

“Stay there…”

“Was it Ardyn? Or someone else in the Empire?”

“Can’t really say. I’m having a hard time remembering.” And that much, sadly, was true.

The memory prevented itself from making itself immediately known. He had a suspicion deep in his bones, but even that theory couldn’t flesh itself out. All he knew was this and these moments, which repeated over and over again. He glanced up to Prompto, pleading almost that this had been enough time.

“Can you get your weapon out?”

Prompto twitched his right hand and nothing. Noctis hissed and moved faster. Sometimes this happened. Rubble shifted above him and sprinkled down some dust. Prompto, seeing this, immediately looked up above their heads. Noctis heard him gasp.

“Noct, be careful! That’s gonna fall!”

“Any minute now,” Noctis mumbled under his breath. There was a stab of worry because it felt as if this part was going slower. The stone under the chain’s anchor point was cracking slower than it usually did. Noctis was trying not to give into panic. He raised his dagger above his head and stabbed down again. “Prom, do you trust me?”

“Y-yeah. You know I do.”

Noctis was glad for it, but it was probably what got the blond in this mess. He pushed the thought aside for now. “Then don’t worry about me. Not right now.”

“Are you serious? Dude, I can’t just—”

Prompto shifted again, but this time, he moved closer. He slid towards Noctis just a foot, and the thread sagged enough that it almost hit Noctis’ shoulder. The prince flinched away from it. The angle wasn’t ideal for his dagger, but it helped coax up some of the stone. He’d take that as a victory. He picked it away and cast it aside, trying to clear up the space.

“Just keep trying to get your gun out,” Noctis instructed. “I want explain everything, but I can’t.” He slowed for a moment and stared at Prompto. In that second, he looked so deeply sorry and exhausted. “I just can’t…”

Prompto met his pleading stare before nodding slowly. “Okay,” he said somberly. “I’ll do what I can.”

“Just keep trying,” Noctis repeated. He was trying to keep a track of that thread. It had enough slack now that the could easily get in contact with him, and no matter how he sat, he was always just a graze away. Even though he couldn’t feel the wind, he understood its threat implicitly. The thread was light enough to be carried on a breeze, and if it was blown, Noctis’ way.

The stones rumbled with more bass. Something was adding pressure from above, and it was making more dust filter down. This time, Noctis and Prompto could feel the rumble all around them now. Prompto looked to Noctis worriedly. Before Noctis could say anything, Prompto said,

“I trust you. Keep going.”

That made Noctis feel stronger. Even though he was making progress, it felt as if Noctis was going slower. There was more stone than he remembered, or the anchor point was buried deeper. Regardless, even though he was doing his best, the dagger couldn’t find purchase the way it had before. He growled in frustration and began hacking at the stone, not caring what that did for the blade.

The sound of crystal shimmering was so light that it almost felt like a hallucination. Noctis felt it like a refreshing chill over his heated body. He looked up to Prompto just as the blond shouted “Got it!” in victory. Noctis sank back onto his legs and let out a relieved laugh. When Prompto took aim, Noctis moved up to his feet. He backed away, careful of the thread. As he did, Prompto said,

“Stand back.”

“When you’re ready.”

Prompto aimed down the barrel of his handgun, and the shot was quick. He aimed for the anchor point, and the bullet ricocheted. Noctis ducked closer, his heart skipping a beat when he got too close, and pointed to the fraction.

“Right here,” he said before stepping to the side.

“Gotcha.”

Noctis moved back to where he was before but turned his head sharply to the left as the first bullet fired. The second quickly followed, and the ceiling over them was starting to cave. The third was what finally freed him. Prompto laughed gleefully and pulled his arm back.

“Check that out.”

“On your feet,” Noctis said hurriedly. “We gotta move.”

Prompto stood but kept Lion Heart in hand. Noctis allowed himself only a moment to gather his wits. Prompto faced him, waiting for the next move. No hesitation, Noctis thought. One more chance.

He ran forward.

When he was halfway to Prompto, Noctis reached out to grab and snap the thread. He wound it once around his hand, and immediately, the ceiling overhead gave away. Prompto backed up to the edge of the hole, his flight instincts kicking in. Good. Thank the gods he was the type to panic. Without warning, Noctis dove towards his friend and tackled him through the opening in the wall. The slab crashed down behind them, kicking up dust in its way.

Prompto yelled as he and the prince went into a free fall. They were between two buildings. One of which belonged to the Citadel, but neither of them looked completely upright. Below them, from what Noctis remembered, was a mossy river of water with hidden craggy rocks. He shifted their bodies as best as he could, hoping it would change the angle at which they fell. Prompto grabbed onto Noctis' shirt with a free hand and held on for dear life.

“What’re we gonna do!” he shouted.

“You’re gonna go somewhere safe! I’m going on ahead!”

“Safe? Where! How!!”

“Just trust me!” Prompto made a noise that Noctis could feel in his chest. “You’re asking for a lot here!” he replied, panicking now.

Noctis gave a sad laugh. He leaned his head down against Prompto’s chest. This almost felt normal; this felt like the time they slid down part of the Rock of Ravatogh together. Even though that moment had a frightening but happy ending, this was worse. Far, far worse.

“I know…” Noctis whispered against his friend.

He felt a chill across his shoulders and down his right arm. His fingers tingled, and that was the only sign he had to brace himself before he and Prompto hit the water. Where there was first a weight between Noctits’ arm, now there was nothing but water all around him. He blinked open his eyes from the impact but was met with darkness. Even still, he didn't falter. He made a break for the surface.

When he was falling, the river was calm and moved slowly, but as he kicked through the water and scraped his way to the top, he could feel a current growing. His body was starting to move in a direction without his wanting to, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from swimming. The surface was farther than he originally thought, but still, he didn't waver. Stopping would be death— his own or someone else’s. His lungs were starting to burn, and he kicked harder in spite of the discomfort.

His fingers breached the surface first, but he was soon to follow. He drew in breaths, hard and ragged, and coughed when his lungs were too full. He blinked away the water from his eyes and looked around. He was in a dense forest now with most and hanging vines. Deeper past the trees was a wall of heavy fog. It smelled like earth and rain here, and the scent was nostalgic, almost comforting. He didn’t have long to ruminate on it.

Noctis felt more than heard something beneath him as he tread water. Looking down, he saw an impressive shadow in the depths of this river. He yelped as a wave of water crashed over his head, and he was carried away by a strong current. Noctis was pushed under the water before he had a chance to take a breath. He tried not to struggle, even when his baser instincts screamed at him to. He found a break in the torrent to raise his head again and gasp out for air. When the next wave came, Noctis was ready.

He grabbed onto a rock and forced himself up onto it. It was enough to pull his upper body out of the waves. He quickly took stock. Ahead of him, another river path merged with his own. The water seemed worse from here, and he waited, trying to see past the water droplets in his eyes. As he waited, logs and leaves and other debris floated downstream in front of him. He couldn’t make an educated guess as to how long he had, so instead, he pushed away from the water and swam the rest of the way. He felt synchronised with the waves now, even though they had more say over his speed than he did. At least he could put up some resistance; he could navigate himself a bit better now that he had his bearings. Pulling up out of the water was difficult, but when he did, he saw a massive log go by with a body attached to it.

Ignis. Noctis thanked his luck and moved towards his friend. This was where things were getting tricky. The merging streams were creating a clash, and that jerked Noctis around for a moment. The joined current was going much faster than he was, and at this angle, he was going to go past Ignis. Alright, alright. He could work with this...

He allowed himself to be carried (for as much “allowance” as he could give) and began reaching out for something to stop himself. His grip was too slippery to rely on steady purchase, but he scrambled for a rock anyway. Eventually, he found something he could equate to solid ground and pulled himself out of the way as much as he could. He was freezing and shaking, but it wasn’t the cold that was making him tremble. His nerves were shot; his heart was racing, and he could only pray that he got to Ignis in time. Noctis waited with bated breath for the log to pass by, and as soon as it did, he leapt out for it. It was a sloppy go, but with everything considered, he was still much closer than he would have been wading out towards it. Noctis reached out and grabbed onto Ignis’ clothes. With a slight jerk, he righted himself on the log across from his advisor and hooked his left arm over it. Ignis wasn’t moving; his glasses were skewed, and one of the lenses was destroyed. He wouldn’t be too happy about that, Noctis thought with a wry smile. Stupid thoughts like this were what kept him sane. He placed a hand on Ignis’ pulse. There was something there, faint as it was. Noctis took that as a victory. Two for two, he was feeling pretty good. But now, he had to do the work of two people. He lifted his head and scanned his left side. Somewhere in the forest were creatures, too divine to be daemons but just as sinister either way. It took some effort, but he turned his back to his advisor and conjured Prompto’s Lion Heart in his left hand. He kept the barrel out of the water and dug his nails into the log. Each bump was rocky, but he had to hold on. For both of their sakes, he had to hold on.

Red and purple eyes glinted in the forest. One by one, groups of imp creatures and canine-likes leapt out towards the riverbank. Thankfully, none of them would try their luck, but they had enough projectiles to give Noctis some trouble. He wasn’t a crack shot by any means, and his aim suffered more because of the turbulence. Noctis ignored all of the enemies’ advantage and fired, fired, fired. Each shot shook down his arm and jerked his hand back, but he kept at it, even when he missed. He rolled his wrist and felt the caress of power as the chamber refilled. He raised up his arm to protect his face as much as he could. Pain stabbed into him; venom ate away at his skin.

One of the imps got too bold and tried to impale him. Thankfully, he was going quicker than it was, and it plunged deep down into the river. Noctis relished the win, but even that pride was gone when he saw a shadow in the water. In a blink, it disappeared, and Noctis looked up again. This battle wasn't over.

He stretched out to protect Ignis when and how he could, but he wasn’t always fast enough. “Fuck! This!” he shouted with his next shots. Almost as if feeling his frustration, the next shots were magically charged. A cluster of canidae fell to the ground, even wiping out a line of imps as well. Noctis glanced to Ignis, to the empty tree lines, and then back to his advisor again. He dismissed the handgun before struggling to turn around again. He raised a hand to Ignis’ face, cupping his features gently. His eyes were still ruined from the attack at Altissia, and Noctis felt an ugly hatred run deep inside of him.

“Iggy,” he whispered before moving his hand to shake the advisor. There was a jolt up his hand, and he shook Ignis again. “Ignis, wake up!”

Ignis was slow to stir, but there was something. Noctis’ attention was almost immediately take away when their log hit one rock and then another. Ignis’ body jerked with the motions. Noctis grabbed onto him to keep him on the log. They hit a small whirlpool, and it turned their bodies around. Noctis, frantic, looked around to find something to push their weight off of. He was waterlogged, soaked right down to the bone, but the second he saw a large rock coming their way, he pressed his back to the log and kicked off the boulder to spin them around. The shock of the impact went right up his legs. But it was worth it to see where they were going.

At least, it was for a moment. Ignis opened his eyes blearily. Noctis moved closer to his advisor and good friend. “Ignis!” he said in relief.

“Noctis, is that—”

Their log crashed into a massive rock and splintered apart, sending the two away and into the churning waters. The rock was sizable enough to keep them separated in the depths. Noctis was tossed and turned by the current, but when he could, he immediately pushed ahead. He let the wave carry him until he saw a break. He kicked and clawed through the water, using the small window of time he had to get in touch with Ignis. He grabbed onto the other man. They both breathed the waters.

“Are you okay?” Noctis yelled between coughs.

“I’m fine,” Ignis gasped back. He held onto Noctis with both hands, fingers digging deep into the prince's shoulders. “Is there a way out?”

“Not that I can see.” And without their protection, they were in danger of hitting anything and everything. Noctis looked behind them to see more debris but nothing they could grab onto. Ahead was something substantial, but they’d have to brave the current to do so. “Actually, I’ve got a plan.”

“This isn’t the time to be reckless—”

“I won’t be,” Noctis replied back sharply. “And it doesn’t matter. I’m getting you out of here.”

Noctis ducked his head forward as a wave crashed against them. He kept himself in the way so that it didn’t directly hit Ignis, who squeezed his shoulders tighter.

“I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“Yes, you are,” Noctis said. “This isn’t your fight. Not here, not yet.”

“Noctis, listen to me.”

“No, you listen to me.” He looked over for that log. It was getting closer, even as they pushed through a bundle of debris. Noctis knew what he had to do to get Ignis closer at least. “I have to get you out of here.”

Ignis shook his head. “I can’t leave you. Not like this, not Gods’ knows where without the others.”

Noctis protected him from another wave, but this time, even Ignis ducked his head. Afterward, Noctis raised his hands to cup his friend’s face. He touched their foreheads together. “Hey,” he said, trying to put on a lighter tone. “It’s just for a bit. I promise.”

“You can’t be serious.” Ignis shook his head again. “I can’t allow this.”

“Too bad it’s not really your choice.” Noctis glanced off towards the side before looking back. “Iggy… let go.”

Ignis hesitated palpably. “I'll see you soon then?”

“Back in a flash.” Ignis hugged Noctis tight before letting out a ragged sigh. “You better be.”

And then, he let go. Noctis helped guide Ignis through the waters as best as he could, even using his own body to take the brunt of most obstacles. Each impact left him bruised, but something scratched him deep enough to where he was bleeding. Ignis didn’t have to know. And the minute Noctis dumped Ignis off at the log, the current seemed to change. It slowed down, became less turbulent. Ignis was going to be safe.

Noctis tread water and watched as his advisor took off downstream. Another chill, but this one passed down his back along his left. And he felt a pressure between his nose. He had a headache similar to this before, but this was tapping into his deeper senses. The river began to turn and became volatile. It grew to the point where Noctis found himself in a whirlpool and was almost immediately after swallowed whole.

The world was so dark beneath the water but strangely not cold.

At first, he was floating weightlessly in the dark space. He watched as the river became a distant slash of effervescent blue-green among the shadow. His hair and clothes floated around him, and the moment would have been peaceful. He closed his eyes, accepting the moment for what it was. His hands tingled faintly.

He was ready.

It was a slow shift, and his weight began to fall.

Noctis sank like a stone in the dark, but even still, he kept his eyes closed. His heart raced; his pulse was thumping in his ears, but he forced himself to be calm. This was uncertain territory, but the memory was slowly starting to bleed into him. He remembered the threats that lurked here, even though he had yet to truly see one. Noctis opened his eyes and saw that the river was gone. The only thing he had now was the cone of line emitting from his chest. He reached out with one hand and felt a weapon materialise against his palm. He grabbed the polearm secured and arched to his left. With one solid thrust, Noctis curved around and threw the Drain Lance straight towards the ground.

The darkness peeled away like disturbed clouds. There was a breathless moment of nothing... and then, Noctis landed atop the shoulders of a marbled statue. It was a pale green colour with fissures of greenstone running throughout its form. Noctis slid down the statues back and landed solidly on soft grass. It was pitch black around him, but his torchlight revealed cracked and ruined walls. He willed away the lance and began walking.

Nightlife sounded around him, faint though also close. Crickets here and there, a soft flutter of wings somewhere else. A branch snapped, but from as far as Noctis knew, there weren't any trees. He hurried, regardless, and just waited for something to guide the way.

The pressure on the bridge of his nose grew immensely. It felt as if someone was pinching the spot while also pushing against his face. He wrinkled his face and shrugged his features, trying to will away the tension as much as he could. But he didn't close his eyes. Even for as much as the actions distorted his features and made him look ridiculous, Noctis made sure that he kept one eye open at all times. A blink seemed to be his only grace, but if he kept his eyes closed for longer than a second, someone would come get him.

Someone, something — some being without definition that he didn't want to have more run-ins with. The memory of his previous attempt here was slow to reveal itself. His mind sluggishly tried to wipe away the sludge and reveal the greater picture. Noctis brought himself towards a wall; there were two types of slash marks. One was made from claws while the other came from a sword. The sword dented the top of the wall while the claws pointed more to the left. Noctis kept straight, following the weapon slash.

He tried to find more clues, and the going was rather slow. He ended up in a small maze of partially destroyed walls. They laid out many paths to go, but Noctis tried to be patient as he made his way. The speed at which he was moving was killing him. The upside was that his memories finally cleared, and he remembered a tight, dark pressure as Gladio's hand slipped from his own. Noctis felt his chest seize up, and he immediately banished the memory. It served its purpose though; he'd have to watch out for tight spaces. He frowned a bit and tried to figure out what he was going to do when the opportunity came.

Not paying attention, Noctis turned right instead of left. He wandered into an open space littered with rocks and the occasional... bone. Noctis stopped where he was going and looked around.

Were these walls a bit closer?

He didn't have a chance to think about it.

Noctis heard the whispers and shuffles of movement overhead and behind him. He tried to give a view of anything, and a dense shadow passed in front of him. Noctis backed away and conjured Prompto's gun. He fired once towards the writhing thing and then again when it didn't move. It let out a heinous screech and vanished into the shadows. Noctis had the Drain Lance in his hands faster than he could think. The handgun fazed out quickly in the exchange. Unfortunately, he felt numerous slashes against his back. Noctis jerked forward from each impact, but he spun around quickly. He twisted the polearm, colliding with shadowy beings that vanished to the edges of his light. He hit something — again and again, Ignis' lance struck true. And when one of these shadowy forms were unfortunate enough to get into the light, Noctis couldn't make heads or tails of what he was seeing.

It was as if something was purposefully obscuring what he was seeing, but whatever force didn't deny him a shape, and therefore a target. He gave as good as he got, and soon, he was standing, silent and alone, in the center of this pathway. Noctis clutched the lance to his chest and made his way back.

Finding the weapon slashes became harder, but Noctis noticed that, overhead, the sky was opening up to a deep blue colour. Stars twinkled over the distant horizon. He made his way towards it, making sure to keep on whatever path he could see as best as he could. Whenever he tried to cut corners and dipped into a part of land that wasn't offset by stone, something slashed fiercely at him. Each strike was wide and wild, but even then, he was hit once. The back of his leg ached every time he stepped. He swallowed down the pain and frustration and trudged forward.

It wasn't his imagination. The walls were getting closer. They moved with a sigh, and every breath spelled Noctis' doom. The darkness all around was starting to choke his light. Noctis kept moving forward. Before long, he came to the top of a hill that overlooked a deep valley. Before he made his way down, he heard grunts and cries in the distance. He knew what Gladio sounded like in combat. Nameless, faceless things hissed and swarmed, guessing from the echo of their voices. Noctis tilted his feet forward and slid down the valley. The darkness gave way, and Noctis saw that there was a stone corridor to his left. Before him was a break in the walls, revealing an open grassway. His light was just strong enough to see Gladio up ahead.

Noctis bit his lip and looked at the grass. Testing what he discovered, he pressed his foot against the uncovered grass and jerked back when he felt something oppressive looming around him. “Shit,: he hissed before looking to his left. This was the only way. He stared at the grass. It was too likely that he'd die. He had already come this far... He looked to Gladio and felt that urge to do it anyway, to try... He frowned deeply and rushed over towards the corridor. He glanced up to analyse how tall the walls were and saw them disappear high up into the sky.

“Fuck,” he swore to himself, feeling anxiety start to settle in. He took in a few breaths, trying to calm his sudden nerves. Even though he wasn't ready, he began walking forward, and the walls sighed again.

Noctis walked at a steady pace, and the walls closed in to match. He ran for a couple of steps, and the walls matched his pace. Fuck, fuck, he thought to himself as he forced himself to walk. He couldn't keep a level head, so he focused on his heart beat. Not the pace that it was going but the fact that it was beating at all. Each frantic moment was a sign that he was alive. Shaken, terrified beyond belief, but alive. He chose to see the positive in that. He walked faster, seeing that he was getting closer to the end. The walls matched him.

“Gladio!” he called out, hoping his voice would pierce the fight to get to his friend. He saw a hole in the wall and stopped. The walls didn't, but they moved at a crawl now. He pressed his mouth to the hole. “Gladio!”

“Noct?” came the distant reply.

“I'm over here! Just follow my voice.” Noctis began walking. He thought to pick up speed to cover some ground, but he didn’t want to take the risk. The stress was going to kill him.

“Say something!” Gladio said after a pause. The fight was getting closer, but it was far less wild than it was before.

Noctis was quiet until he found another hole. “Over here! Behind you and that thing! Prompto and Ignis are safe!”

He heard movement and began moving as well. The walls were narrowing in, and he had to turn sideways to stay comfortable. He moved fast enough to keep his previous pace, even though it was awkward. An accidental overstretch drew the walls in closer. He just started talking.

“It’s dark as hell out here, huh," he said. “We need to get you out of here!”

“What about you?” Another battle cry. Noctis heard the faint of sword into dirt as he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll go with you,” he lied. “We’ll find a way out together, and get the hell out of here.” He could see the end now, but he was just a little bit far. He looked up and felt his breath leave him in shudders. Oh no. Was this going to be another repeat? He leaned out to the side, not caring for the new pressure against the arm in front of him. He couldn't hear anything around him, just the sigh of stone and the surge of his own pulse. His hand was freed, and he touched his head against a wall, feeling his defeat.

But then, a larger hand grabbed his own. “Noct!” Gladio pressed a foot against the wall and yanked. Noctis turned his head to the side as he felt the stone rub against his exposed skin. He felt the abrasions open up new wounds, and he chose to ignore them. He and Gladio stumbled back, and whatever pursued the bodyguard in the shadows flinched and ran away.

Noctis fell against Gladio and welcomed the warm embrace that surrounded him. He reached between their bodies and shakily unhooked his torchlight. He kept it in his hand, which he lazily turned his way and that to keep more forest beings away from them.

“It’s really you,” Gladio rumbled.

“Yeah… It’s me.”

Gladio waited a long moment before pulling back to hold Noctis at arm’s length. “We need to get out of here.”

“You can say that again.” Before Gladio could walk away, Noctis grabbed him and pressed the light into his hand. “Take this with you.”

“Don't you need it.”

“Made it here fine without it,” Noctis lied. “I turned it on when I saw you.”

“But those things are everywhere.”

“I know my way around,” Noctis pressed. He looked over Gladio, and his brows knit together. Gladio was looking worse for wear, and they had been through a number of scraps in their time. There was a new slash across his chest that wasn’t from his time fighting with Gilgamesh. “And you're looking pretty banged up.”

“Speak for yourself.” Gladio pushed the light back. “Keep it.”

“I'm fine,” Noctis insisted with an edge to his voice, shoving the item back. “Just listen to me for once. I can handle myself out here, and I’m going to get us out of here.”

Silence followed as they stared at each other. Gladio silently nodded before attaching the torch light to himself. He didn't seem too happy about it, judging from the tightness of his jaw and temples. When he meet Noctis' gaze again, he seemed to actually be looking at Noctis and taking him in.

“When’d you get all grown up?” he asked lowly. For once, there was no mockery or sarcasm in his tone.

Noctis sighed silently, his shoulders lowering as he gave a tired smile. “Just now, I guess.”

Gladio huffed and stepped aside. “Lead the way. I’m right behind you.”

Noctis felt relief in knowing that. With Gladio at his back, the unknown creatures ahead and around them didn’t seem quite as fearsome. He pointed to the break in the sky and told Gladio that was where they were headed. Unfortunately, he wasn't all too sure that this was going to be a joint escape. He had only seen what was beyond this point twice before, and both exits didn't have him leading the way. How he was even going to make it past this point filled him with a cold fear.

Gladio reached out to grab him and pulled him away from the grass. A broadsword swiped at something that swiped at them from the shadows. Noctis shook himself out of his haze. He could do this though. He had already made it so far. He refound the path and headed down that way. The world before them opened up, and Noctis held a hand back towards Gladio to stop him. The bodyguard grunted but stood by his side anyway. Noctis carefully stepped out onto the grass. Nothing came for him, but he felt something ominous and hideous tingle up his spine. On a hunch, he motioned a hand out to Gladio to try it.

Even though he raised his brows, Gladio stepped out and looked back to Noctis curiously. Nothing seemed to happen to him. Noctis nodded. This was where they parted ways. He pointed to the dark blue rift again and followed Gladio that way. There was a hill that gently sloped upward, but the tingle grew into a chill that warped into nausea. This was the end of the line for him. He reached forward and pushed Gladio.

“Keep going!” he yelled. “Faster!”

“Don’t rush me!” Gladio snapped back, and Noctis was glad for his irritation.

With that, he pulled his hands away and slowed his steps up the hill. He watched as Gladio crested it and flexed his hands at his sides. The Drain Lance appeared in one, Lion Heart in another. He ducked his head forward and let out a soft sigh as a light sensation ghosted up his spine.

“This is my stop,” he said softly and raised his head. He twisted the lance with one hand and spun around. “See you on the other side.”

He may have been swarmed, but he always went down fighting. When Lion Heart ran out of bullets, Noctis' limited connection with the Crystal wasn't enough to refill it. He willed it away and used the Drain Lance to his advantage. He shot up into the air, carrying himself by a hair of will he could sqeeze out from the aether. When he came back down, he dismissed the lance and reached backwards. The Genji Blade's size and weight was still unfamiliar to him, but it was enough to send him down like a meteor and into his foes.

It was a strike that splintered the earth.

This was familiar to him in a way, his torn clothes and his fall through the ground. He could feel his descent this time around, but he still felt as if there was some semblance of control here. Fragments of the Crystal appeared beneath him, and Noctis fell through them. Various weapons drifted past him, ones he recognised belonging to each of his friends. They appeared, drifted by, and dismantled into aethereal shards one after another. Each of them collected into shattered balls of light. When the weapons stopped appearing, the balls of light to his left and right shattered. He looked to each one in turn.

Prompto... Ignis...

Noctis watched as light reflections of his friends appeared and fragmented away. He turned in the air and watched as the shards collected into a final form.

Gladiolus...

And in a breath, he was gone. The reflection broke away, and the shards melted into the darkness. In a strange way, Noctis felt at peace here. After all the craziness he had gone through, this was far calmer than anything else. The darkness yawned open and revealed blue-green light. Noctis blinked and instinctually reached out towards it. His descent didn't slow, but the light seemed to grow brighter. It tore through the darkness, and the colour soon gave way to white light.

The blues and greens shattered like painted glass. As they twisted and caught in the light, their matter changed into falling pages. Some had portraits, others landscapes. There were walls of text all crammed on different sheets, but then Noctis caught a fluttering sheet with a pressed on sylleblossom. His eyes widened slightly, but then he was assaulted with pages all around him. He crossed his arms, trying to protect himself. When he opened them out suddenly, the pages blew away and scattered all over the ground.

He was in a library that was the embodiment of light. Light brown shelves and a match table all stacked with books and papers. There was a set of stairs that led to a higher level, and a light brown ladder on wheels resting against a bookcase. The two large windows to his right and left had nine large panes and peach coloured curtains. Outside, he could see a world with clear blue skies and waters, beautiful crags that overlooked the endless ocean. Far off into the distance, he saw mountains. This world was nothing like anything he had ever seen before. He lowered his hands. This was different...

But he began walking out of the library. The steps leading out were in a low foyer, and for a second, Noctis was claustrophobic. He opened the wooden door outward and stepped out onto a walkway that overlooked the endless waters. The breeze felt good; it was warm and inviting. Noctis stepped out and closed the door behind him. The walkway stretched forward, far across to another hillside entry. He looked around in awe.

This... was different from his previous two attempts. He continued moving anyway. When he opened the door this time, he was met with a circular room with peach curtains covering the archways. Luna stood on the balcony in front of the only unblocked arch. She had her trident pressed against the ground, and she stared up towards the sun.

“Is this your judgement?” she beckoned towards the skies. “Will your trials know no end?”

“Luna,” Noctis called out softly.

He saw her hands twitch tighter around the body of her trident. She pressed a hand towards her heart. “Oh, Noctis…” She shook her head and took a half turn towards him. “It was never meant to be this way.”

Her balcony started to crack. Noctis jerked before running towards her. He closed the space as he had with Prompto and instead of tackling her, he reached out for her hand when she extended it. To his surprise when he grabbed her, Luna pulled him close.

“But be not afraid,” she said as they began to sail. They were so high above in this beautiful paradise. Stone collapsed in slow motion, and the tower Luna was in began to turn to dust and crumble. “I am by your side.”

Noctis had no idea what to do here. He wrapped an arm around Luna; his other hand held her free one. “I’m with you too! What're you doing?”

“Trying to put an end to all of this. To the Starscourge, to the curse of suffering.”

Noctis’ heart sank. A part of him was hoping she meant the trial, but this was his burden to bear. “We can do that together.”

“We can. We will.”

He tightened his hold on her hand. “And we’re all going to be fine.”

Luna stared at him. “To bring the Dawn is our only blessing, Noctis. You as the True King, and I as the one who will pave your way.”

Noctis hated this. “You’re not a tool to use, Luna. You're my friend. I need you! I don't want a future without you in it.”

She smiled at him, so soft and wise and melancholy. She knew the burden of their lives, but unlike Noctis, she had already accepted it. “You were never meant to be here,” she said. “The Rite is not yet complete.”

“The Rite is over! If it’s taking you away, forget it!” He shifted his hold to cover her hand that was holding the trident. “I’m not losing anyone else.” Clouds passed them now. How high had they gone? Noctis didn't look away from Luna. “I don’t care about destiny or prophecies or bringing the Dawn if people I love die from it!”

“Dear Noctis, this is always how it was meant to be.” She sounded... hollow. “But I too wish there was another way.”

“There is. We’ll make our own way!”

She laughed and ducked her head back. She looked at what was approaching, but Noctis didn't turn his gaze away. “Oh, you don’t mean that.”

“The hell I don’t!”

She lifted her head, and he knew now that this wasn’t Luna. Not his Luna. There was something dead in her eyes, even when there was a light. She seemed less real to him. She glowed, almost, as a power from within began to grow. Noctis felt a new fear spike within him.

“You can’t give up!”

“I am following the Honoured Path.”

“Screw the Path! It’s not worth giving up our lives for!” He shook his head. “I’m done being everyone’s toy. You're not mine— and we’re no one else’s." He squeezed her hand and the trident, pleading with her now. “I want us to live! Why can’t we be who we are and live to laugh about it?! To enjoy what we’ve done?”

“Because it is our destiny. No... our Fate.”

Noctis stared at her and took her by the face with both hands. “Screw! Fate! We'll make our own damn rules!” The warmth continued to grow, but Noctis could feel it too. It crawled over his skin and gave him goosebumps. “I’m not giving up on any of us. I’ll save you, I’ll save the guys. I’ll save everyone.” Noctis felt a severe, choking sadness, even as he spoke.

The following pause was long. Noctis felt something in this light as it grew from Luna; it was powerful and as old as it was strong. “Including yourself?” she finally asked.

“Including me.” The words were hard to say, but true all the same. Noctis blinked away tears. “But I’m not letting them take you away, not without a fight.”

Luna’s blink was slow, but she slowly came to consciousness. Her body became her own again, and Noctis breathed a sigh of relief. She raised her trident; Noctis covered her hand again.

“Are we to defy the Gods?”

“Only if we have to. But I’m not letting the Starscourge take the planet, and I’m not letting Them take us!”

She laughed; it was then that the warmth took Noctis whole. “You are always surprising, my King.” She twisted the trident to point towards the sky. “I will walk your Path.”

A pillar of light washed over them. Their bodies changed in the air until they were upright. They continued to fall, but for once, Noctis had no worries about landing. When their feet touched the water, a large circle was wiped out instantly, blowing back and becoming a stretch of soft sand. The water that remained surrounded them in a massive wall. Noctis and Luna continued to stare upward. They held the Trident of the Oracle high up as one.

“Gods and Kings of Yore, grant the One True King your power. This path of death shall end, and together, let us raise this world into the light!”

Noctis felt the power radiating from the trident. He furrowed his brows, and though indignation was strong in him, he allowed new emotions to pour through him. One filled with the love of his friends, the pride of his family, the sadness of his fate, the determination to face on anything regardless, the frustration of his trial.

The will to live and to as many as he could.

“If you can hear me,” he heard himself say.

In small columns of light, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio stepped out in royal vestiments. They had their backs to Luna and Noctis and kept their weapons at the ready.

“Kings of Lucis…”

Massive shadows on a scale Noctis couldn’t comprehend darkened the horizon. Thirteen figures surrounded this world.

“...Almighty Astrals…”

The three protectors tensed as slivers of reality opened. The Hexatheon didn’t make themselves fully present, but glyphs appeared in their wake. With each sigil that appeared, Noctis could see a peak of the cosmic plane just past the dreamlike blue and the shadows of his progenitors. He kept an arm around Luna. She placed her free hand on his shoulder.

“Give us the strength to save this world, and give me the strength to avenge my father. To show the scourge the power of Lucian kings!”

Noctis squinted against the light as it grew in intensity, and before he could think of what was coming next, he and Luna spoke as one.

“Let’s carve a new path in all of our names!”

Light washed over them and wiped away all else. The glyphs connected, creating a massive one under everyone's feet. Before them, a rift in reality opened, and Gentiana walked through. She walked closer to the True King and the Oracle.

“The Gods have heard your voices."

Fragments of the Crystal appeared, and in a blinding flash, Somnus appeared as an avatar. “And we have seen your tribulations.” Noctis couldn’t stop himself from glaring at his ancestor. Somnus huffed a laugh and rolled his covered head. “That alone would be enough to strike you down, but I will see to your mettle in time, child.” He reached out to touch the trident as Gentiana did herself. Her human form turned into snow and revealed the Glacian’s true form.

“We, of the Astrals—”

“—and we, of the Lucii—”

“—will guide your way, Noctis Lucis Caelum.”

Everything was washed away. Noctis was alone with Shiva and Somnus. He alone held the trident. He stared between the two, feeling adrenaline run through him anew. Shiva laughed softly.

“Have faith.” She ducked her head in a bow. “And we will be there when the time comes. Bahamut will weigh this blessing.”

“And we will judge you no more kindly because you are our blood,” Somnus said, “though the Young King speaks of you favourably.”

“My... my dad?” Noctis turned to his ancestor.

Somnus reached out and shoved Noctis by the shoulder with two fingers. Shiva raised her hand behind Noctis. He didn't turn to see where.

“We shall meet again,” the two said in unison before disappearing.

“Prepare yourself,” came Somnus’ ominous voice. And it was the last thing Noctis heard before everything...

...went white.

When he woke up again, he was in a bed. It was plush and far nicer than anything he had slept on in weeks, but his body ached so much. He couldn't help but groan in pain when he took in a breath. Footsteps hurried toward him and then back the other way.

“So... you’re awake.”

Noctis turned his head towards the voice, and Luna sat down on the edge of his bed. Without thinking of his own safety, Noctis shot up and reached out for her. She scooted closer and offered one of her hands. The other went to his shoulder. Her touch was soothing, healing even, but it wasn't enough to coax him back.

“Relax,” Luna encouraged.

“Y-you’re alive? Really?”

Luna ducked her head and then looked away. “So it would seem.” She paused for a moment before looking to him. “It seems you and I... have a nasty habit of not staying dead.”

Noctis laughed in spite of himself. “So it would seem…” He coaxed her closer, and when she was in range, he drew her in for a hug. He wasn’t even sure how long it had been since he’d seen her, but for now it felt like years. “I missed you.”

“And I, you, Noctis.” She shifted her hold to embrace him properly. “I was so worried that I would never see you again.”

He had a number of reactions, but he didn't have the heart for most of them. Instead, he gave her a squeeze. “Ditto.”

“Noct!” Prompto’s voice cut through the brief silence that followed. “Guys, in here! Noct’s awake!”

Noctis and Luna pulled away to face the trio coming into the room together. Ignis still moved with a cane, but there was more of a leisure about it than there had been before. He moved without guidance and settled his hands atop the polished couerl's head. For a while, no one said anything. Every time Prompto started to try, his voice got caught up, and he choked down whatever it was he was feeling. Eventually, Gladio stepped up.

“You really gave us a scare. We didn’t know if… or when you would…” He looked to Ignis and Prompto, who just met his somber look with one their own.

“It would have been too soon,” Ignis said calmly, “but even still, we feared that…” Noctis’ heart sank as Ignis’ voice trailed into a whisper. Ignis’ lips parted slightly, the corners tugging down, and a tear slid past his glasses. He looked away, turning his dry cheek to his King. “We feared that was to be the end.”

Noctis wanted to comfort them, but he noticed that there was something different about them all. The look in Gladio and Prompto’s eyes was more stern. Prompto had facial hair. Even looking at Luna now, Noctis noticed that she was more refined. Her hair was done up elaborately, but two strands of hair hung down in front of her ears and touched down to her shoulder. She had a tight band made of obsidian and snow grey metal over her left wrist. Noctis looked down and noticed he had the same on his right.

“Whatever covenant you forged, Noctis, has bound us all,” Luna said softly, seeing his eyes go to the jewelry.

Noctis looked to her and then over to the other men, seeing them draw their sleeves back to reveal the same bands. While Gladio and Ignis had theirs on their left wrists, Prompto's snugly covered his barcode. He also matched Noctis by having his on the right.

“How did... I get here? I thought I was in the Crystal.”

“You were,” Prompto said softly, pain in his voice.

Gladio added, “We couldn’t get you out of there…”

“No matter how hard we tried,” Ignis finished. His voice was... bitter, regretful.

Luna touched Noctis’ leg. “But when I opened my eyes and made my way to you, I found you in a cavern behind gilded swords.” She made a motion. “They disappeared upon my touch, but the energy felt divine, powerful. Good.” She leaned forward. “You are our King, Noctis. You have been acknowledged.”

“I think we all have.”

Up until now, Noctis had been somewhat disconnected from the situation, but once the words left him, he felt moved by a powerful emotion. He sucked in a shuddering breath and brought his hands to his face, accepting the wash of emotion that overcame him. Luna squeezed his leg as Ignis said,

“We had best leave you alone to recover.”

“No!” Noctis said, pulling his hands away. “Just... stay with me here. All of you.” He looked at everyone as they began to settle. He reached out to Prompto, then Gladio, then Ignis, making sure to hold each one tight in return before embracing the other. “I don’t think stand being away from you guys any longer. Not if I don't have to.” He reached out to cover Luna’s hand. “That includes you too.”

“Oh, Noctis… You won’t have to worry about me leaving your side ever again.”

“Ever again,” Prompto agreed. Ignis and Gladio nodded with him.

“Heh. Good.”

Noctis leaned back against the headboard and stared up at the ceiling. He blinked his eyes, feeling the tears roll down. In spite of everything, he overcame the impossible, and he wasn't even sure how to talk about it. Well, he supposed that didn't matter now. They had so much to catch up on. The ceiling light wasn't terribly bright, but it was enough to offset the darkness that edge in from outside. Even better still, he had the radiance of his companions keeping him protected.

Noctis laughed tiredly and wiped away his tears. Thank the gods, he wasn’t alone. Not anymore, and as they went to bring the Dawn — all five of them — he wouldn't be anymore.


End file.
